Forest-Risk Commodities

Lord Roborough Excerpts

Monday 2nd March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

My noble friend asks a really important question. We announced a review of the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct as part of the UK trade strategy, and that is exploring the UK’s effectiveness in preventing human rights harms, labour rights harms and environmental harms in supply chains. That is how we are looking to support businesses and give them access to the kind of information my noble friend talks about.

[Lord Roborough (Con)]

My Lords, while it is right to take steps to protect forests overseas, I point out that Brazil and Indonesia, for example, have 50% forest cover, versus only 13% here. These countries already protect their forests through the Brazilian forest code and the Indonesian timber legality assurance scheme. Can we not do more to make the world greener in our own country by increasing our paltry 16.5% forest cover target? I declare my interest as an investor in SLC Agricola and Anglo Eastern Plantations, and as a forest developer.

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

We have ambitious tree-planting proposals, including planting three new national forests—one has already begun and two are well on the way—because it is important that we increase tree coverage. We are also looking at how we can better protect the forests we already have, particularly our ancient woodlands. The environmental improvement plan the Government have recently published addresses many of those issues.